Turning Point
by SeleneBlackburn
Summary: A story where Percy wades through uncharted waters.


**School: **Mahoutokoro

**Year**: 5

**Theme: ****Department for International Magical Cooperation**

**Main Prompt: **[Character] Percy Weasley

**Additional Prompts:** [Creature] Hippogriff, [Object] Floo Powder

**Wordcount:** 3293

**A/N: The first couple of days, I was struggling to come up with something. And then inspiration struck. Beta credits to NinjaDevil2000!**

* * *

**turning point: **

**_noun_**

**a time at which a decisive change in a situation occurs, especially one with beneficial results.**

Percy went through the sheet in front of him one last time, rereading the topics which were not supposed to be brought up in conversation. This was an extremely important deal and they could not afford to make any blunders.

After the war ended, reparations had begun quickly. Remaining Death Eaters had been captured and convicts were given trial dates. Things had been running smoothly for a change.

Until the ministry got a letter from the Ollivander family. Garrick Ollivander had contracted illness during the time he had been held captive in Malfoy Manor. His old, undernourished body had been unable to cope with the stress, leaving him with a persistent tremor in his hands. Muggle practitioners would have called this the onset of Parkinson's, but St. Mungo's managed to stop it from spreading to other nerve-endings.

Now, the dilemma was, there were not enough wands.

Tom Riddle, in his search for elder wand, had left behind a mess. He had killed and injured even the lesser known, small-scale wandmakers in Britain. Ollivander was unable to create wands and neither had he finished training his apprentices. There had been countless witches and wizards who had lost their wands or had them broken. Ollivander warned the Ministry, that in the coming few years, demand for wands would sky-rocket.

After two years, when the Ministry came up with no solution and started feeling the strain, they struck a deal with Italy. They asked for wands, till the British wandmakers could restock. In exchange, they promised to supply Italy with rare herbs and potion ingredients, for a span of five years. These ingredients were already rare in UK and almost non-existent in Italy.

At ten fifty-five, Percy Weasley stood next to the Minister of Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt, to welcome the Italian Minister, Antonio Cantoni and his entourage, in the VIP section of Portkey Arrival room. Introductions were made and things went well that day.

* * *

The next morning found them relaxing and chatting before a Ministry organised Interdepartmental Quidditch match. They were taking a slow stroll across the green park, with Percy entertaining the Minister in conversation.

"Tell me about Hogwarts, Mr. Weasley. Your school is pretty bizarre."

Percy smiled. "I was one of those students who stayed away from mischief. But there much happening since the day Harry Potter entered the school."

And so, Percy began the tale of Hagrid and his various dangerous pets.

"Then there was one time, he decided to give practical lessons on how to greet a hippogriff. Helpful, I'll admit, but a tad risky when teaching kids as young as thirteen."

"A hippogriff? Those are rare in Italy!"

''They are not uncommon here. We have a herd on the school grounds and few in Forbidden Forest. And I'm no expert but I reckon there are quite a lot of breeders in England."

"Hmm. Do you think-" Minister Cantoni paused as if deciding how to word his sentence. "Do you think you could help me purchase one? A Hippogriff, I mean. You see, it's my thirtieth wedding anniversary in a couple of months. And I want to give my wife something special. She loves animals."

Percy was stunned for a moment, but quickly found his voice. "Yes, that would be no problem."

Before the minister could reply, the match had started. The man was a die-hard quidditch fan and he forgot about everything throughout the duration of the match. The DMLE team won, which was no surprise since Harry Potter was the Seeker. The Minister even asked for an autograph from a mildly abashed Harry.

After the match, the Minister launched into a barrage of questions and comments.

"Tell me, Percy, Ginny Weasley is your sister, right?" "Will Harry will bring her as his date to the Gala?" "Wait, will Harry Potter attend that evening?" "Wonderful pair, they are." "And your sister plays beautifully!" "A shame that Potter did not become a professional player. But then there would be no Auror like him."

Percy replied to all these questions politely. He seemed too excited to talk about Hippogriffs.

During dinner, Percy didn't know how to broach the topic again, so he decided he would leave it to the Minister to bring it up.

The first chance he got the following morning, he went to meet Kingsley.

"Mr. Cantoni has demanded a Hippogriff from me."

Kingsley placed the documents he had been holding on his desk. "Pardon?"

"The other day, I was telling him about Buckbeak and now, he has asked me to help him find a Hippogriff for his wife."

"Alright. And?" Kingsley asked slowly.

"Where am I supposed to get a Hippogriff from?"

"If he would have asked for Nagini's ashes, I would have made sure he got them. We can't disappoint him Percy. If that requires searching for a Hippogriff, we will do that. I will make sure to get your schedule cleared so that you get time for time for this task. Finish your pending work, meanwhile."

* * *

Hagrid was ecstatic when Percy conveyed that he needed some help to find a Hippogriff.

"I'd be happy ter explain ter yer everythin' Percy. I reckon Buckbeak will be returnin' from his flight soon. Help yourself ter some rock cakes meanwhile. I was very sad when the board decided ter take out practical lessons." Percy nodded silently as Hagrid fetched his rock cakes. "How will kids know how ter greet a hippogriff properly? This knowledge is not even common in pureblood families. Only a few own them, like the Parkinsons."

"The Parkinsons own Hippogriffs?"

"Yeah. Bred for racin'. Though I don't know if they still do it. I think Buckbeak has arrived."

As they stood outside in the bitter cold, Percy tamped down his irritation. He had not planned to spend his Sunday in this manner. Neither was he interested in looking at hippogriffs, much less studying them. But given that he was Percy Weasley, no task was done half-heartedly.

And so, Percy held eye-contact, bowed, then proceeded to run his hand through Buckbeak's coat.

The entire evening proceeded, with Hagrid giving him a crash-course on the coat, the plumage, the wingspan and all the breeds. Enough information that by the end, Percy's head was swimming. His notes were scribbles, his wrist was aching, and Buckbeak had left as well.

Finally, he thanked Hagrid and apparated to Burrow for dinner. He tried to never miss Sunday brunches with the entire family, but when he did, he joined his parents for dinner.

"Hey, Mum," Percy said over a strange noise coming from somewhere.

"What took you so long, Percy? Did you have anything for lunch? Who works on Sundays? Turn that thing off, Arthur!"

"Let the boy breathe Molly," Arthur said from behind his new muggle toy, a vacuum cleaner, courtesy of Hermione Granger. This was the first time Percy was had seen it in action.

"I ate, Mum. Let me freshen up first," he said tiredly.

When all three of them had settled down, Percy explained his new task.

"Did you write to Charlie? He might know something," Arthur said.

Percy nodded as he took another serving of mashed potatoes. "I will do that tonight."

Charlie's response was unsatisfactory. He gave a list of potential breeders in Britain, but nothing much useful to work with.

Percy wrote to the owners and scheduled a meeting at multiple farms.

* * *

For his first visit, he flooed to the address of a middle-aged man named Larry Roberts. As they made their way to the barn, Larry inquired about all the details to be considered.

"If the Minister wants it as a gift and for his wife who has a liking for animals, then definitely don't go for the racing hippogriffs, nor the ones that help in agriculture. I have a girl, who is docile and quiet. She likes to fly a couple of times a day. The only issue is that she is a little old. Forty years to be exact."

Percy frowned. Hippogriffs lived a long life, well over hundred years. But he was not sure if the Minister would be happy.

"Here she is. Agnes, come here." He looked at Percy suddenly." You know what you need to do right?"

"Yes," Percy replied. He held eye-contact and bowed.

After Agnes bowed back, he went ahead and petted her. She had a pure white coat and beautiful hazel eyes. She was smaller than Buckbeak, but not much.

"Do you want to ride Mr. Weasley?"

"Erm…" Percy did not want to. Flying was not his forte. He preferred his feet on the ground. A reason why he had never played on the Quidditch team. An occasional match at the Burrow was fine once in a while, but he was not a fan of flying.

"You would get a better idea if you ride her. I can take the reins if you want."

"Alright," Percy sighed. He might as well do this.

He resisted the urge to hold on to Roberts. But it was not bad. Agnes didn't go very high in the air and the flight was smooth. When they landed, Percy swiped his hands against his trousers.

After he had taken note of all factors, from age to her breeding to her wingspan, he decided to take his leave.

"Thank you for your time today, Mr. Roberts. I'll let you know soon."

* * *

It was no surprise when the Minister's letter stated his rejection. He knew he would have to look for younger hippogriffs.

He made his next trip to Cardiff.

He was greeted by an old couple, Mr. and Mrs. Williams. After introductions, Percy was led towards the stables.

They had two Hippogriffs, one of which refused to look at him. Every attempt was thwarted by turning his head away from Percy. The second one was very lazy. He remained seated on the ground, no matter how much his owners urged him take a flight with Percy.

Percy thanked them and flooed back home.

He made several such trips. Encountering playful creatures and indifferent ones. One even tried to attack Percy. When he would like a Hippogriff and send a picture, the Minister would write back saying that he was not satisfied.

_She looks great Percy. But I just can't see her with Amara_. Or

_I don't think that one would be agreeable. It seems he would be up to mischief all the time. _

All he did was go from one place to another. Him and his floo-powder.

One night, he made a chart. He wrote down all the traits, put crosses against which were not required and highlighted the ones which were needed.

By the time he was finished, he was shocked to note that it was four am. He didn't feel tired. In fact, he had enjoyed the activity. It gave him a clear picture of what was needed.

To give himself a break, he took a day trip to a Hippogriff race in Sweden. He seated himself comfortably at the front, observing the majestic animals fly. At times, he would look at them through his old Omnioculars.

He reluctantly accepted the fact that this particular species had grown on him.

* * *

He wrote a letter to Pansy Parkinson when he concluded he could not put it off for long. It was not that he was afraid of her, but there was no love lost between the Weasleys and any archaic pureblood family. He had not seen her since Hogwarts. He wasn't sure if she would even invite him to her house. Since her father had been sentenced to Azkaban, she was the head of the house now.

He did not know what to think when she replied in the affirmative.

"Ms. Parkinson," he said, shaking her hand. "Thank you for inviting me."

He was a little taken aback when he saw her. For some reason, he had thought she would be dressed in a gown or something elaborate. Surprisingly, she had worn simple black t-shirt and loose trousers, but still managed to look graceful.

"Drop the formalities, Weasley. You can call me Parkinson. And it was no problem."

She turned her back to him and made her way outside.

"Do you actually want to have look at the Hippogriffs or did the Ministry send you to spy on us?"

"No. There are much more important jobs to do."

"So, what will you do with a Hippogriff? Fly on it to the Ministry?" She turned her head over her shoulder to glance at him.

"Something like that," he said. She rolled her eyes.

He was shocked when they reached the stables.

"How many Hippogriffs does your family own?" he asked her.

"Fourteen."

Till date he hadn't met anyone who owned more than five Hippogriffs. They were a huge responsibility. Unless you had money and help like the Parkinsons.

"I never knew your family owned Hippogriffs."

"To be fair, we never painted each other's toe-nails and shared our feelings back at Hogwarts."

"Cut the crap, Parkinson. I remember you were pleased when Buckbeak was sentenced for execution."

"I hated Hippogriffs as a child. My grandfather used to urge me to fly them, bathe them and feed them when I just wanted to play with my dolls. That changed after the war. So, what are you looking for?"

Percy explained his situation and listed the characteristics he wanted in a Hippogriff.

She showed him a few and watched like a hawk when he interacted with them. He even took a flight with one. Not very high but just enough to get a feel for it.

"For a man who works behind a desk at the Ministry, you interact well with Hippogriffs," she told him as he landed.

"I would hope so. I have been around them for a month now. I like this one. What did you say his name was?"

"Ben."

"Ben. Do you think the Minister will like you, Ben?" Percy asked as he stroked his thick brown-black plumage.

"They are not for sale," Pansy said.

"What?" Percy looked at her, astonished.

"You cannot purchase them, is what I meant."

"Then why call me here and let me have a look?"

Pansy shrugged. "I wanted to know what business you had."

"Do you know that you've wasted my time Parkinson?" Percy asked with irritation and suppressed fury. He was a Weasley after all.

"Relax," Pansy rolled her eyes," I have a contact who can help you. I'm sure you'll find what you want." She said as she hopped down from the fence she was sitting on.

"Fine, but you couldn't have said this earlier?"

"Nah," she smirked, "watching you get red in the face was fun."

"Very funny," he muttered, "Then why have a farm full of Hippogriffs if they will just be sitting in one place."

"I have a project in mind."

"What is it?"

"A zoo."

"A zoo?" Percy repeated.

"Don't tell me you don't know what a zoo is. I thought your Muggle loving family must have taught you some stuff."

"I know what a zoo is. In fact, if anyone should be surprised it should be me. Where in the world did you get this idea from?"

"Britain is one of the few countries which does not have a magical zoo. I thought it was high time," Pansy said as she moved from stall to stall, filling empty bowls with water using _Aguamenti_.

"And other magical species?"

"There are other animal owners too, who have a stake in it."

"Oh. Then it seems like a good idea."

"You know," she said, as she turned to face him, "you would be great in a zoo. I mean as a working staff." Pansy grinned.

"Thanks for the suggestion," Percy replied sarcastically.

"I'm serious. You're great with Hippogriffs. Of course, you would need to get a Magizoology degree, like I did. And you can do a general course or specialise in any magical creature you want. But I think this would suit you."

"You're a Magizoologist?"

"Yeah," she said.

"I will think about it."

"Great. I will owl you details of my contact soon."

"Thank you."

He left her house in a daze.

He got an owl from her that night. In the envelope, there was also a small, thin booklet of a Wizarding Magizoology School in Switzerland.

_Just in case you want to consider. _She had written on the top. Percy huffed a laugh.

* * *

Her contact was an old lady, who owned a perfect little Hippogriff named Finona. Thankfully, the Minister approved.

In the middle of the week, he cornered Hermione and asked her to accompany him to a muggle zoo. They went to the London Zoo during lunch.

"What's all this about?" Hermione asked him.

"I wanted to have a look."

"Uh-huh," Hermione said with disbelief.

He trusted Hermione. And since they were wired a little similarly, they got along well. Excluding the period when he had acted like a dunce.

"Actually, I wanted to see how zoologists work."

"Well, for starters there are many classifications, like mammologists, herpetologists, ornithologists and so on. I'll show you something," she said as she took his arm and directed him away from animal enclosures and towards another section of the zoo. Hermione stopped to purchase a bag of candy floss and they followed a sign that directed them to PENGUIN BEACH LIVE!.

"There's another half an hour for it to start but it'd be better if we find a good spot before it gets too packed."

Percy couldn't agree more. The amount of crowd was astonishing.

When the show started, Percy was enthralled. His father would completely lose it.

"You see that lady interacting with animals. She must have done a course in zoology. They observe animal patterns daily, train them and then organise such events for the masses. Of course, not all of them are active participants. Some just observe and study. But this how it works in general."

They left Regent Park as soon as the show was over. Percy came back in the evening though and stayed till closing time.

The following week, he returned to work. Meetings and paperwork were part of his regular schedule. Kingsley tried not to show it, but he was glad to have Percy back.

A week later, Percy was sitting at his desk in his study room, looking at the chart and all the notes he had made on Hippogriffs. Work was mundane these days. Wands were being shipped daily and things were stabilizing.

He opened his drawer and stared at the small booklet. He picked it up and flipped through the pages for the umpteenth time. He sighed, removed a fresh piece of parchment, and started writing his letter.

The next day he talked to Kingsley.

"I don't think I can do this for much longer. I need to try this school out at least. I'm not sure if I will enjoy being hands-on with the Hippogriffs like Charlie, but I'm interested in learning about their biology and a few other theoretical topics."

"If you think so, go for it, Percy. In case you want to come back, there will be a place for you in this department."

"Thank you, Minister."

That night, he received an owl from Antonio Cantoni, saying that his wife loved the present and that Finona was a delight. Percy smiled and wrote a short note back to the Minister.

Then, on another piece of parchment, he wrote one to Pansy too.

_Thanks for the suggestion. Will see you at your zoo, in some time. Keep a spot open for me._


End file.
